++++++++++

Bulletin - 7/27/08  

I  WANT  TO  WANT  WHAT  GOD  WANTS

Translated from Svetoch № 2, 2004 

Part III

+++++++++++++++

Bulletin - 6/8/08  

Conscience: God's Voice In Mankind

Bishop Alexander (Mileant) † 2005

On the nature of conscience

 Author, Bishop Alexander of Buenos Aires

.

Once an impoverished woman stole something in a store and carried it away. No one saw her. On her way home a disturbing feeling gnawed at her peace of mind. She had to return to the store and replace the stolen item, after which she returned home feeling relieved. There are countless similar examples of people being compelled to do not what they want but what is right.

Every person is familiar with his inner voice which on occasion accuses and oppresses him, and on occasion brings him joy. This small subtle voice, an inborn feeling, is called conscience. Conscience by its nature is a spiritual instinct, which more clearly and quickly differentiates between good and evil than does the mind. He who listens to the voice of his conscience will never regret or be ashamed of his behavior.

In the Holy Scripture conscience is also called "heart." In the Sermon on the mount the Lord Jesus Christ compared conscience to the "eyes" by which a person can evaluate his moral condition (Matt. 6:22). The Lord also compared conscience to a "rival" with whom a person must come to terms before he presents himself at God's Judgment (Matt. 5:25). The word "rival" stresses the main attribute of conscience: to oppose our evil desires and intentions.

Our personal experience convinces us that this inner voice, called conscience, is not under our control but expresses itself spontaneously in spite of our will. In addition, just as we cannot persuade ourselves that we are full when we are hungry or that we are rested when we are tired, similarly we cannot convince ourselves that our behavior is correct when our conscience tells us otherwise.

In the words of Christ regarding the "indestructible worm" (Mark 9:48), the Fathers of the Church see the guilty conscience that will punish sinners in the future life. The Russian poet A. S. Pushkin very vividly described these torments in his dramatic play "Miserly Knight:"

Conscience - a sharp clawed animal, which scrapes the heart;

Conscience - an uninvited guest, annoying discourser,

A rude creditor; and a witch, which dims the moon and graves.

And further in the play, the old knight remembers in terror the pleading and tears of all those whom he deprived mercilessly. In a different drama, "Boris Godunov," Pushkin again recreated the sufferings of a guilty conscience, placing in the mouth of the king Boris the following words, "...Yes, pitiful is the one in whom conscience is foul!"

Conscience — a universal natural law

As narrated in the Bible, during creation God imprinted into the nature of man His Divine Image, which draws man toward everything that is morally good and averts him from everything that is morally evil. This inner law works through the voice of conscience, which justly is called the voice of God in man. Because it is an integral part of human nature, it is active in all people — regardless of their age, race, education, or development.

Indeed, studying the culture and customs of past and present nations, one notes that all people, even the most primitive tribes, distinguish between what is good and what is bad, between good man and evil man, between virtue and vice. They are all agreed on this: that the good is worth striving for, that evil be shunned, and that the one deserves praise, the other, blame. Though in individual cases they may not be one in denominating the same thing good or evil, they are nevertheless agreed as to the general principle that good is to be done and evil avoided. The occasional discrepancy in labeling some actions as good or evil seems to come from the particular circumstances in which a given nation develops. It is a universally recognized principle that one should not do to others what he would not wish them to do to him. Vice everywhere seeks to hide itself or at least to put on the mask of virtue.

The Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Romans explains in some detail how moral law works in man. The Apostle reproaches those who know the written Law of God but willfully violate it. He contrasts them with the pagans who "not having a written Law, naturally observe the prescriptions of the Law. By this they show that the process of the Law is written in their hearts which is witnessed by their conscience and thoughts, which either punish or justify one another" (Rom. 1:14-15). According to St. Paul, on the forthcoming Judgment Day God will judge men not only according to their faith, but also according to their conscience. Thus even the pagans may be saved if their conscience will witness to God their righteous life.

In general, conscience is a very sensitive moral evaluator - especially in children and young people, who are still pure and innocent. If we were not stained by sin, we would not need any external guidance, and conscience alone could precisely direct our behavior. The necessity for written law arose from original sin when man, dimmed by passion, failed to hear clearly the inner voice. In the present condition, both the written law and the inner natural law of conscience are needed; and they both speak of the same: "Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you" (Matt. 7:12).

In daily relationships with people, we subconsciously trust the conscience more than written laws and regulations. Indeed, it is impossible to have laws for every imaginable situation and to foresee how to preclude any attempts at breaking them. After all, shrewd people manage to twist and manipulate even the clearest of laws. So we hope that conscience, which works inside every person, will compel the person we are dealing with to do what is morally good and just.

Conscience in biblical narratives

No secular book witnesses about the existence of conscience in man as clearly as does the Bible. Let us examine a few more-prominent examples of this. Focusing first on some negative examples, we see that unkind behavior evokes in man shame, fear, suffering, feelings of guilt and even acts of desperation. For example: Adam and Eve, having tasted the forbidden fruit, felt ashamed and attempted to hide from God (Gen. 3:7-10). Cain, killing his younger brother Abel out of envy, subsequently began to fear for his own life (Gen. 4:14). King Saul, persecuting innocent David, later wept in shame when he found out that instead of retaliation for evil, David spared his life. (1 Samuel ch. 26). Proud scribes and Pharisees bringing forward an adulteress to Christ, dispersed in shame when they saw their own sins written by Christ on the sand (John ch. 8). Merchants and money lenders scattered in shame out of the temple when Christ drove them out, saying that the temple of God was not to be turned into a market (John Ch.2).

Sometimes the pangs of conscience become so intolerable that man prefers to end his own life. We see the most vivid example of accusations of conscience in Judas Iscariot, the traitor, who hanged himself after betraying Christ to the high priests (Matt. 27:5). In general, all sinners, believers as well as unbelievers, feel responsibility for their behavior. Thus, in the prophetic words of Christ, sinners at the end of the world, seeing the approaching judgment of God, will plead for the earth to swallow them, and the mountains to cover them (Luke 23:30; Rev. 6:16).

It happens sometimes that a man in turmoil, caught in the swirl of strong passion or overwhelmed by fear, appears not to hear the voice of his conscience. But later, he feels the pangs of conscience doubly strong. When the brothers of Joseph came upon trouble, they remembered their sin of selling their younger brother into slavery and understood that they were now justly punished for their cruelty (Gen. 42:21). King David, delighting in the beauty of Bathsheba, understood his sin of adultery only after it was revealed to him by the prophet Nathan (2 Samuel 12:13). The impulsive Apostle Peter, under the pressure of fear, denounced Christ, but when he heard the cock crow, he remembered the prophesy of Christ and wept bitterly. The sensible thief, hanging on the cross next to Christ, understood only before his death that the suffering he experienced was a just reward for his crimes. (Luke 23:40). Zaccheus the publican, touched by the love of Christ, remembered the offenses he had perpetrated towards people in his greed and decided to rectify the wrong he had committed (Luke 19:8).

On the other hand, when man is aware of his innocence, his clear conscience strengthens his hope in God. For example, the righteous Job, while suffering, knew that the reason for this was not because of any sins he had committed, but that it was in God's plan, and he hoped for God's mercy (Job 27:6). Similarly, the righteous king Hezekiah, dying from an incurable disease, became well when he pleaded to God for healing in reward of his good deeds (2 Kings 20:3). The Apostle Paul, whose life was dedicated to God and the salvation of men, not only did not fear death but, on the contrary, wished to be relieved from his earthly body to be with Christ (Phil. 1:23).

For a sinner there is no greater relief and happiness than to receive forgiveness and peace of conscience. The Gospel is rich with examples of repentance. One sinful woman in the house of Matthew, upon receiving pardon for her transgressions, in gratitude washed the feet of Christ with her tears and wiped them with her hair (Luke 7:38). On the other hand, a disregard of conscience along with recurring sins, darkens the soul to such a degree that man can undergo, as Saint Paul forewarns, "shipwreck of his faith" so that he can irrevocably sink into evil (1 Tim. 1:19).

Psychological side of conscience

The study of the relationship of conscience to the spiritual attributes of man is the domain of psychology. Psychologists attempt to clarify two issues: a) Is conscience an attribute of man with which he is born, or is it the result of learning and encountering life's experiences in the environment in which he develops? b) Is conscience a result of the way our mind, feelings, and will operate, or is it an independent characteristic?

In response to the first question, closer examination of man's conscience convinces us that it is not the result of learned attitude or physical instinct in man, but has an unexplainable higher source. For example, children develop conscience before any adult teaching or modeling takes place. If physical instinct dictated to conscience, then it would induce man to behave in a profitable or pleasurable way. However, conscience often induces man to do that which is unprofitable or unpleasant. In spite of the appearance that evildoers enjoy the good life and virtuous people suffer, conscience tells us that a higher justice must exist. Eventually all have to receive their just reward. The universal presence of conscience for many people is the most convincing argument for God's existence and the immortality of the soul.

Regarding the relationship of conscience to other spiritual attributes of man: with his mind, feelings, and free will, we observe that conscience not only speaks of that which is theoretically good or evil, but she also obliges man to do good deeds and shun evil. Good deeds are followed by feelings of joy and satisfaction, whereas deeds of evil produce shame, fear, and spiritual unrest. In all of these manifestations, conscience uncovers in us the awareness of free will and responsibility.

Of course, reason alone cannot decide what is morally good or evil. It bases its judgment on the observation of something logical or illogical, wise or foolish, useful or useless. It is a property of reason to select useful opportunities over deeds of kindness. Nevertheless, something in man compels his reason to not only search for profit, as an abstract mathematical computation, but also to evaluate the moral value of his intentions. Doesn't it follow then that, if our conscience influences our reason, she is independent from it and even above it?

Considering how conscience works through free will, we observe that free will can desire anything, but this ability does not dictate to man what he must do. Human will, as we know it, often battles with demands of morality and attempts to free itself from its bondage. If conscience were a product of the free will, then no battle would take place, no conflict. But the voice of conscience attempts to guide man's decisions. He may not always fulfill her demands, being free to choose, but he cannot ignore her voice, and when he does that, he does not escape an inner punishment.

Finally, conscience cannot be viewed as the product of feelings in the human heart. The heart craves pleasant sensations and avoids the unpleasant. But the rejection of moral demands often brings with it a strong spiritual conflict, which tears the human heart apart. We cannot escape the outcome in spite of our desire and effort. Therefore, in spite of being enclosed and dwelling within man, shouldn't we concede that conscience is an independent and superior characteristic which directs man's reason, will and heart with divine Law?

Preservation of a clear conscience

"Guard your heart more than anything you treasure, for it is the source of life" (Proverbs 4:23). With these words the Holy Scripture calls us to preserve our moral cleanliness. But what hope can a sinner have with an unclean conscience? Is he forever doomed? Fortunately not! In contrast to other religions, the great privilege offered by the Christian faith is the fact that it opens a path and gives the means for a complete cleansing of conscience. This path exists in the repentance of one's sins, and in a sincere desire to turn life around for the better. God forgives us because of His Only Begotten Son, Who on the cross brought cleansing sacrifice for our sins. In the sacrament of Baptism, and then in the sacraments of Confession and Communion, God cleanses man's conscience "from evil doing" (Heb. 9:14). That is why the Church places such great significance on these sacraments.

Moreover, the Church of Christ, through its teaching and the grace of the Holy Spirit abiding in her, enables the faithful to perfect themselves morally and make their conscience more discerning and sensitive. This is one of the high goals of our Christian life, as Jesus Christ said in the Sermon on the Mount: "Blessed are those whose hearts are pure; they shall see God" (Matt. 5:8). Through a clear conscience, as through a clear crystal, God's light enters our soul and permeates its every corner. As long as this light remains in us, it guides our thoughts, elevates our feelings, strengthens our will, and helps us in every good undertaking. Through this blessed illumination, many Christians become instruments of God's providence. When this happens, a Christian not only enjoys spiritual blessings, but also becomes an instrument of salvation to others. Church history illustrates this with innumerable examples in the lives of its Saints like Seraphim of Sarov, John of Kronstadt, Elder Amvrosii of Optina, Saints Herman and Innocent of Alaska, Blessed Xenia of Petersburg, Archbishop John of San Francisco [Maximovich], and others who saved so many souls.

In conclusion, a clear conscience is a well-spring of all Divine blessings. People with clean hearts enjoy inner peace; they are gentle and benevolent. It seems that already in this temporary life, filled with trials and turmoil, God gives them a foretaste of the Kingdom of Heaven. As Saint John Chrysostom puts it: "Not fame and wealth, not great power and physical strength, not a magnificent table and elegant clothing, not any other human advantage can bring true happiness. This comes only from spiritual health and a clear conscience."

Some quotations about conscience

Do not treat your conscience with contempt, for it always advises you to do what is best. It sets before you the will of God and the angels; it frees you from the secret defilements of the heart; and when you depart this life it grants you the gift of intimacy with God.

St. Maximos the Confessor

After God, let us have our conscience as our mentor and rule in all things, so that we may know which way the wind is blowing and set our sails accordingly.

St. John of the Ladder

He who lives in evil is punished in hell prematurely, being pierced by the conscience

St. John Chrysostom

The conscience should not be evaded, since it tells us inwardly how to live in conformity to Gods will, and by severely censuring the soul when the mind has been infected by sins, and by admonishing the erring heart to repent, it provides welcome counsel as to how our defective state can be cured.

St. Philotheos of Sinai

 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Bulletin - 6/1/08  

COUNSELS  OF  ELDER  DIONYSIUS

(Reprinted from The Orthodox Word № 240, 2005)

Conclusion

MISTAKES IN PRACTICING

THE JESUS PRAYER

QUESTION: What are the more serious mistakes made by those who practice the Jesus Prayer?

ANSWER: Pride of the mind is the greatest danger and few are delivered from it. You can defeat it only if you are humble-minded. But humble-mindedness should be firmly rooted in your soul, heart and thinking. Humble-mindedness is a virtue which is acquired through great efforts and spiritual struggles. We must fight, and the All-good God, seeing our pains, will not leave us to be defeated by the demons. We must be careful, especially with the sin of judging our neighbor. For instance, you see a man talking to a woman and start judging them, thinking that they'll commit fornication. At that moment, the spirit of fornication will enter your soul, mind, and heart.

QUESTION: While practicing the Jesus Prayer, there may occur in our heart a warmth which is from the spirit of fornication. How can we be delivered from this temptation?

ANSWER: Father, this is the biggest problem! If you do not have humility, then, no matter what you do, delusion and demonic temptation will appear. That's why the Holy Prophet David tells us, I was brought low and He saved me (Ps. 114:6)! We can be delivered from all the temptations if we have humble-mindedness. The devil can't enter the heart of a man who has humble-mindedness. The most powerful weapon against the demons that each of us has is humble-mindedness. It's not prostrations or fasting or all-night vigils, because if you don't have humble-mindedness, at the first demonic attack your soul will be defiled by the wicked spirits of fornication, vainglory, anger, etc. So, if you don't have humble-mindedness, salvation is difficult and full of temptations. These temptations are allowed by God so that you can see your infirmities and humble yourself. See what the Holy Apostle Paul tells us: we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against... spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph. 6: 12). But we cannot conquer unless we have humble-mindedness! If you say with humble-mindedness: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!" the hostile devil will not be able to draw near us with his temptations. The tempter, the devil, draws near when we become high-minded or accept thoughts and words of pride and vainglory from people or demons; for instance: "See how much you've advanced in praying!" or, "You can see that you're not like others!" In fact, this is the goal toward which the devil strives in order to make us high-minded, and in this way to deprive us of prayer.

QUESTION: But can the devil attack us with thoughts of anger, envy, hatred, fornication and other similar thoughts?

ANSWER: Yes. That's why you should uproot your main passions from your heart – through Confession, penance, prayer, good deeds, and almsgiving.

QUESTION: But the Holy Fathers say that the practice of the Jesus Prayer helps the most with the quelling of a man's passions!

ANSWER: Of course! These must be done together: the Jesus Prayer along with the good Christian works which I mentioned before. The Jesus Prayer changes the old man into the new, spiritual, Divine man. When you establish Jesus Christ in your mind, soul and heart, you have become a throne of Divinity, a temple of the Holy Spirit. And Divine Grace brings purity and holiness to your mind, soul, and heart. But for this we must make an effort. Before receiving Communion of the Holy Mysteries, we should purify our soul and body, saying the Jesus Prayer. And when we want to sleep, we should say the Jesus Prayer. The Grace of the Holy Spirit and our guardian angel will be with us if we fall asleep having the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ in our mind.

QUESTION: What can you tell us about warmth of the kidneys, which is natural, and which can occur during the practice of the Jesus Prayer?

ANSWER: The Holy Neptic (* neptic means spiritual watchfulness and sobriety) Saints teach us that this warmth which comes from the kidneys is a natural warmth, which is born of the work of the will. This warmth brings harshness, agitation and coldness into the soul. One who prays should avoid this warmth while practicing this prayer. He should pay no attention to it, and should not concentrate on it. It's good to do physical work, which will lead to the disappearance of this warmth. It's not an easy thing to reach perfection by means of the Jesus Prayer, but we should labor and fight spiritually, because God does not ask anything of us that is beyond our strength.

QUESTION: If you pray while having bad thoughts (of pride, anger, fornication, etc.), can these irritate the

other fathers and brothers in the monastery too?

ANSWER: If you have bad spirits in your heart while practicing the Prayer, they will fight against the other fathers and brothers in the monastery, too.

QUESTION: How is it better to say the Prayer of Jesus, in the full or the short form? "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!" or, "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me!" or, "Jesus, have mercy on me!" or, "Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!"

ANSWER: It depends on one's mind and on his spiritual state. It's best to say it completely, because in this case we recognize the Divinity of our Savior Jesus Christ, we ask for His mercy and we acknowledge our sinfulness. But when there's much disturbance within us and outside us and we can't concentrate anymore, then we cry with repentance, "Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!" It's important to cry out with repentance!

QUESTION: What is good for a beginner to do in order to learn and practice the Jesus Prayer?

ANSWER: First of all, with the help of Divine Grace, a beginner should stop committing great sins. For this a beginner should look for a good spiritual father for Confession and in order to make a good Christian beginning. Then, he should regularly attend the Divine Liturgy, as often as possible; he should fulfill his daily rule of prayers and prostrations given by his spiritual father, and practice the Jesus Prayer twice a day for at least fifteen minutes, in a quiet place. He should learn and practice the foundation of all good works, the virtue of humble-mindedness, because if you do not humble yourself before God, men, and demons you will lose everything. He should cut off his own will, live in obedience, and accept joyfully whatever happens to him. Failure to cut off one's own will, contradicting others, and justifying oneself represent the beginning of high-mindedness … That's why you should humble yourself and be obedient. When you are sincere, not doubting, but have humble-mindedness, the Grace of the Holy Spirit will descend upon you. This is a good foundation and you will be able to grow spiritually, fighting against temptations, having the Jesus Prayer as an unconquerable weapon. If you have humble-mindedness, you can defeat the passions. This does not mean that you have become perfect; but when you have the Grace of humble-mindedness, with the help of God's power you can struggle against the passions, sinful men, and the demons.

QUESTION: How can we keep our mind purified from evil thoughts?

ANSWER: If you humble yourself, the Grace of the Holy Spirit will keep your mind pure. But if you do not obey, if you do not cut off your will, if you do not humble yourself, you distance yourself from God's Grace and cannot resist unclean, demonic thoughts.

QUESTION: Are there moments in which God's Grace leaves us?

ANSWER: The moments in which God's Grace leaves us are those in which we commit great sins. But he who has humble-mindedness is never abandoned by God.

The End
 

+++++++++++++++

Bulletin - 5/25/08  

COUNSELS  OF  ELDER  DIONYSIUS

(Reprinted from The Orthodox Word № 240, 2005)

Continuation

ON GATHERING THE MIND

QUESTION: When we say the Jesus Prayer aloud, it can be spoken or chanted. Which way is the best?

ANSWER: Spoken.

QUESTION: I have read in the writings of the Holy Fathers that' if we speak the Prayer, demonic thoughts can enter into the pauses between the words.

ANSWER: Demonic thoughts can come in if you chant it, too. The most important thing is to be humble-minded, and for your mind to be attentive to the words of the Prayer and not wander about everywhere. Your mind, spirit, and heart should be directed towards Our Lord Jesus Christ. We should make an effort, and the Grace of the Holy Spirit will help us pray.

QUESTION: Owing to worldly worries and demonic and human temptations, our mind is scattered all the time. How can we gather our mind under such conditions?

ANSWER: The Holy Apostle Paul teaches us: Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks (1 Thess. 5:17-18). We should pray with repentance and with humble-mindedness and have hope in the goodness of God, Who has helped us so many times in our prayers.

QUESTION: When you pray reading the Psalter, Akathists, the Prayer Rule, or the Seven Praises (* Another name given to the daily cycle of Church services), the heart warms up. Can this warmth of heart be used in order to concentrate ourselves when we say the Jesus Prayer?

ANSWER: Father, these are subtle things. But if you have spiritual joy and the peace of the Holy Spirit is within you, there's no need to search whether it's in the heart, the mind or the soul. Because if it's in the mind it's also in the heart, and if it's in the heart it's also in the mind and in the soul. If it's in the mind, it's also in the heart and if it's in the heart it's also in the mind, because that spiritual joy is a Divine work. It's impossible for there to be gladness in one place and discontent in another. Because the gift of the Holy Spirit sanctifies a man entirely when it descends upon him. The man is all spiritual joy.

QUESTION: While practicing the Jesus Prayer, there may occur a pain in the heart. Is it a good thing to concentrate on that place?

ANSWER: At such times you can't say the prayer with the lips, but only with the mind. The heart is not in a state of illness, as some practitioners of the Jesus Prayer wrongly think. In those moments, the heart experiences spiritual joy and spiritual tears course down from the eyes.

QUESTION: If you say the Jesus Prayer for a long time, does the mind get tired?

ANSWER: Of course. It's very important that the mind be pure and peaceful, because if it's occupied with thoughts it gets tired more rapidly. And if the devil also meddles with his temptations, the mind becomes darkened and scattered and will have to labor spiritually for a longer time. That's why the Holy Fathers left all worldly worries and went to the desert or to the heart of the mountains, so as not to see or hear anything, and they would eat a little piece of dried bread every few days. Living this way they would purify their minds perfectly and draw them closer to the good Heavenly Father. But we have testimony from the Holy Fathers that there were people even in royal palaces who had the Jesus Prayer. At that time there were more pure people who were more pleasing to God than there are nowadays.

QUESTION: When the mind becomes tired from saying the Jesus Prayer, is it good to read the Psalter, Akathists, the writings of the Holy Fathers, or to sing troparia or the Doxology?

ANSWER: Until the Jesus Prayer is established perfectly within us, we will not be able to say it ceaselessly. It is good to alternate and say other prayers too, or to read or sing religious songs. However, blessed physical labor will also help us very much. Even if we have the Jesus Prayer, we should not give up the rule of prayers and prostrations which we have received from our father confessor.

QUESTION: On Holy Mount Athos, I saw that there are cells in which the Athonite Fathers do their [prayer] rule and the Seven Praises (daily cycle of Church services) saying the Jesus Prayer.

ANSWER: It's true. But our father confessors advise us that the rule should not be omitted for any reason. In church, in some sketes and cells they replace the Seven Praises with the Jesus Prayer. One of the Fathers comes to the kliros (*the places of either side of the amvon where the reader and choir usually stand) and utters aloud one hundred times: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!" Then another father takes his place and so on, for a time equivalent to the Seven Praises. The other fathers who are in the church listen attentively and repentantly. The old fathers said that while they were practicing the Seven Praises in this way in the church of the St. Anne Skete, an Elder saw the Savior Jesus Christ coming down in the midst of them.

LEARNING THE JESUS PRAYER

QUESTION: How is it better to learn the Jesus Prayer: synchronized with your breathing or synchronized with your heartbeat?

Silence in the wilderness of Valaam

QUESTION: Since nowadays we no longer have hesychia, stillness of mind, is it appropriate to take part in the liturgical life as often as possible (the Holy Liturgy, Confession, Holy Communion, Holy Unction) in order to purify ourselves from sins and to pray more easily?

ANSWER: The Fathers who teach such things take into account the weakness and the worries of modern-day people. That's why, instead of staying at home and praying on a little stool, it's better to take part in the Holy Liturgy, to confess and receive the Eucharist with the help of the Grace of the Holy Spirit present in the Holy Mysteries, to listen carefully to the prayers, chants and teachings of the Church so your heart can be purified by the Grace of the Holy Spirit. But preparation is necessary for Holy Communion, as the Holy Apostle Paul teaches us.

QUESTION: The Jesus Prayer may be uttered with pain of heart. How do you recommend our Christians to practice it?

ANSWER: One must say the Jesus Prayer with a heart broken through suffering, so that spiritual tears will course down from your eyes. This is a Divine gift which very few acquire. So, we should say the prayer calmly, with discernment — because if you do not have discernment, other temptations may occur, such as damage to the heart, mental illnesses, etc. Our tempter has a treasury of evils and has grown old in evil. He even dared to tempt Our Lord Jesus Christ.

QUESTION: Is the sensing of God in our heart a prayer too?

ANSWER: Yes, it is. The feeling of God in your heart is also a prayer. But this is a great Divine gift. When you have the presence of God in your heart you don't use words anymore, so as to keep the spiritual joy in your heart as long as possible. If you have fear of God in your heart, everything you do will draw you near to God, everything will purify you of sin and you will feel the presence of God in your heart as spiritual joy, peace, Divine love … Because we learn from the Holy Gospels that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Ps. 110:9). There's a great deal of human wisdom now. So many things have been discovered and invented. But very few of the wise men of this world give glory to God, Who gave them the mind, wisdom and power to discover and create these things. Most of them say, "I did it!" But there is no passion worse than egotism before God. No action, no deed that is done egotistically, is accepted by God. Thus, the proud man, no matter what he does, descends moment by moment, hour by hour, into the depths of hell.

To Be Continued

Bulletin - 5/11/08  

+++++++++++++++++++

Bulletin - 5/4/08  

SEVEN  QUESTIONS  TO  PATRIARCH  THEOPHILOS

ABOUT  THE  MIRACLE  OF  THE  HOLY  FIRE

Interview with His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem translated from Pravoslavie.Ru

On the eve of Pascha, the entire Christian world, as it did two thousand years ago, is praying for the greatest miracle — descent of the Holy Fire. Over ten thousand people, those who are lucky to be in the Church of the Resurrection that day, witness the miracle. By the way, according to pious tradition, when the Holy Fire does not come down and the Church of the Resurrection is destroyed — the world will have come to its end.

The ruling hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine, answers questions about the miracle of the descent of the Holy Fire.

Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem

Your Beatitude, when do we encounter the first testimonies about the descent of the Holy Fire?

The first witness of the miraculous light in the Tomb of the Lord was Apostle Peter. As it is written in the Gospel, after the news of the Saviour’s resurrection had reached him, he ran to the Tomb and saw not only the burial shroud, but also an astonishingly beautiful light.

The Holy Fire comes down every year precisely on the eve of Orthodox Pascha, on Great Saturday.

What changes took place in the ceremony of the reception of the Holy Fire?

This current ceremony of the Church of Jerusalem is ancient. The Holy Fire comes down only here, upon the Tomb of the Lord in Jerusalem. Nothing has changed. After a certain ritual the lights throughout the temple are put out. On the middle of the life-giving stone slab of the Tomb where Christ’s body lay there is placed an oil-filled lampada and 33 candles — after the 33 years of Christ’s life in the world — are placed beside it. In the Tomb there remain the Orthodox patriarch and a representative of the Armenian Church. The tomb’s entrance is sealed with a large piece of wax.

We know about the recent arguments between the Jerusalem and Armenian patriarchates. Several years ago the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem appealed to the Supreme of Court: he demanded a right to light his lampada directly from the Holy Fire, together with the Patriarch of Jerusalem. 

Not only Armenians — all other Christian communities — Copts and Syrians — would like to take part in this divine service. But only the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem can pray at The tomb of the Lord, only through his prayers the Holy Fire comes down. 

Many doubt and do not believe the miracle. Is forgery possible?

Everyone shall receive according to their faith. As for the doubts, they can only be a cause for a smile.

Why? Is it ruled out?

There have been many who desired to debunk the “myth”. But in hundreds of years nobody could do that. The land on which the temple stands belongs to a Turkish family, the key-keeper is a Muslim. The Paschal Procession around the chapel which houses the Tomb of the Lord is accompanied by kavases — the Turks. All the vestments are taken off from the patriarch and the representatives of the Armenian Church and then they are searched. The chapel is thoroughly searched by the Israeli police and by the Muslims — looking for a possible source of fire. Besides, an Armenian representative is watching all the actions (of the patriarch) and is ready to intervene at any moment (for he, too, acts in accord with the Muslims and the Jews).

You are one of the few real witnesses of this greatest miracle among miracles. What could You compare it to?

This experience is analogous to when one receives communion. As during the receiving of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, so during the descent of the Holy Fire the Lord enters you.

What do You personally experience in that moment?

Such feelings cannot be expressed with words. 

Patriarch Theophilos was interviewed by Catherine Rozhaeva

+++

Another  witness  of  our  contemporary,  Bishop  Gabriel  of  Blagoveschensk

Did you see how the Holy Fire come down?

Yes, I saw it two times. It was when Archbishop Anthony (Zavgorodnii) was still alive. When on the Great Saturday the patriarch emerged from the tomb with the Holy Fire we didn’t light our candles from him but with vladyka Anthony we quickly dove into the sepulcher of the Tomb of the Lord. One Greek man ran inside, as did vladyka and me. And there, in the Tomb of the Lord, we saw the blue, color-of-heaven flame; we were taking it in our hands and bathing our faces in it. For few moments it did not burn, but then it acquired strength and we started to light our candles.

So the fire was burning right on the stone?

On the stone. And all the lampadas were burning… It was something to behold! I too, if I had not have seen it, might have had doubts. But I saw it myself and we were washing ourselves with it. It was a solid rock, marble — and all of it is covered with fire. There was no soot, nothing like it… Just the fire and nothing else.

cdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcdcd

Membership in Orthodox Christian Churches is Growing

The article appeared on April 26 in South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Churches that hold to original beliefs, traditions growing

By JAMES D. DAVIS
Religion Editor

Cory Dorta tried those big new warehouse churches with rock music and upbeat sermons. He went back to Orthodoxy.

"It was fun and games, but it wasn't church," Dorta, 20, said in the foyer of St. Philip Antiochian Orthodox Church in Davie as incense and ancient hymns filled the air. "I like more discipline."

That solid feel, of clinging to truth in a trend-driven world, is what helps the church keep about 75 percent of its young people attending, according to Bishop Antoun of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese.

"People today are thirsty and hungry to know the truth," Antoun said after a Holy Week service this week at St. Philip's. "Faith and truth — that's what lasts."

Antoun, whose Diocese of Miami and the Southeast covers nine states, has been in South Florida on a round of services.

On Wednesday, he anointed people with oil and wine at St. Philip's. On Thursday night, he led a procession around St. Mary parish in West Palm Beach during the Twelve Gospel Readings of the Passion of Christ. The bishop returned to St. Philip's on Friday for the Funeral and Burial Service of Jesus Christ. And tonight, he'll lead the Resurrectional Service at 10 p.m. at St. George Cathedral in Coral Gables.

The Antiochians are part of the Eastern Orthodox Communion, which includes Greek, Russian and Ukrainian groups. The Orthodox pride themselves on keeping the old-time religion from the oldest times. They still uphold the teachings of the first seven church councils, which ended in the eighth century, before the Eastern and Western churches parted ways.

One such point is the date of Easter, which they're celebrating more than three weeks after their Catholic and Protestant brethren. The Orthodox keep the original standard to observe Easter after Passover, a rule dropped by Western churches in the 16th century.

Most Antiochian Christians are ethnically Syrian and Lebanese, and a few of the prayers are said in Arabic. But the church is rapidly Americanizing and has drawn thousands of converts from Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal and other churches.

Antoun, 77, is the senior among the six Antiochian bishops of Canada and the United States, where a half-million Antiochians live. They're increasing by a thousand or more per year — sometimes by whole congregations, he said.

"They're all just looking for the full truth of the church," the bishop said. "They decided to return to the New Testament religion."

The church also has made some practical moves, he said. The church runs a camp, school, museum and library on 403 acres in Ligonier, Penn. It all amounts to a lasting home for young people, like Cory Dorta.

"I don't understand why so many churches preach different messages," he said. "Other churches base their beliefs on the Bible. But the Orthodox Church made the Bible."

Bulletin - 4/27/08

+++++++

Bulletin - 4/20/08

PASSION  WEEK  AND  PASCHA 

IN  THE  HOLY  CITY  OF  JERUSALEM

By Sister Marina (Tchertkov), Reprinted from Orthodox Life, No. 2, 2003

The end of the sixth week of Great Lent has arrived. In churches they are reading the Gospels. The services are long and exhausting. But now it is beginning to come alive. The first groups of pilgrims have begun to arrive in the Holy City for Pascha. Cypriots in national costumes and with pilgrims’ staffs in their hands, Rumanian nuns with their little hats and veils on their heads, Serbs who most of all resemble Russians, and in recent years, the first, small, timid groups from Russia. These pious people are bowing, venerating objects, lighting candles everywhere, and almost treating the local monastics as sacred objects of the Holy Land. They have all been streaming into the Holy City, to the Life-bearing Tomb of the Lord, to welcome the Pascha of the Lord.

In church, we now hear the Gospel how the Lord set out with His disciples for Bethany “where His friend Lazarus was sleeping.” While the bells ring for "Lazarus Saturday", a long line of pilgrims, headed by the Greek Orthodox bishops, processes through Bethany, to the “house of figs”, from the Greek monastery of the “Meeting” (according to Tradition, Martha had hurried there to meet the Lord in order to tell Him that Lazarus had died), where they had just served Liturgy, and then to the cave-tomb of Lazarus in order to venerate this holy place.

In memory of how the Lord Himself walked with His disciples, some pilgrims climb the Mount of Olives in the evening along the road mentioned in the Gospel, by Bethphage, that village which was close to the place where the Lord sat on the foal of an ass in order to complete His triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. Commemorating this feast, on Saturday evening the Greek clergy process with palms in their hands from the church in Bethphage, along the Mount of Olives, and down to St. Stephen’s Gate, by which they triumphantly enter the Holy City and proceed to the Church of the Birth of the Most Holy Theotokos. After Liturgy the next day, on Palm Sunday, the clergy again process with palms throughout the Church of the Resurrection.

Now Passion Week has begun. The church is all vested in black. The choirs quietly sing, “Behold the Bridegroom cometh at midnight.” All the faithful prepare for the Passion of the Lord. On Holy Wednesday, the Synaxarion relates, “when Jesus went to Jerusalem, to the home of Simon, a woman approached Him and poured expensive myrrh upon His head.” Therefore, the service of Holy Unction is performed in all the churches. In the Church of the Resurrection, in the “Chapel of the Mockery,” the altar table is opened, under which stands the remaining part of the pillar to which the Saviour was bound when the Roman soldiers flogged Him in the Praetorium of Pilate. The pilgrims venerate this sacred object and tie ribbons around it, which they then take home with them.

The greedy Judas complains against the woman: “Why waste this myrrh?” — and he goes to betray the Saviour to the Jewish Sanhedrin which did not forgive Him for resurrecting Lazarus and planned to kill Him. Before His passion, the Lord washes the feet of the Apostles. In the ancient practice of the Jerusalem Church, the rite of the washing of the feet was performed by the Patriarch in the actual place of its establishment, i.e., in the Upper Room on Mt. Sion. Now this moving ceremony takes place in the open courtyard in front of the southern doors of the Church of the Resurrection, opposite the entrance of the Monastery of St. Abraham. For this, they construct an elevated platform, surrounded by a barrier. By the walls of the monastery an ambon is set up, at a significant height from the ground, decorated with olive branches, for the reading of the Gospel. From early in the morning on Holy Thursday, the roofs of the Church of the Resurrection, the Monastery of St. Abraham, the metochion of the Gethsemane monastery, the minaret of the neighboring mosque, the cornices and staircases of the nearby buildings, and all of the courtyard before the church are overflowing with crowds of pilgrims and local Orthodox people wishing to see, even from afar, at least something of the upcoming event in the courtyard.

The Patriarch serves the early Liturgy in the Church of Apostle James, the brother of the Lord, accompanied by twelve hieromonks, assigned to take part in the rite of the washing of the feet. On this day, two Arab married priests are included among participating in the ceremony, one of which will represent the person of the Apostle Judas, not Iscariot. For this role, the latter is entitled, on Holy Saturday after the receiving of the Holy Fire, to receive from the Patriarch a bunch of thirty-three candles which were lit in the Tomb of the Lord, and distribute them to the pilgrims.

After Liturgy, the Patriarch takes the Gospel from the Holy Table and gives it to the hierodeacon with the best voice, who is appointed to read the Gospel during the ceremony. The participants ascend the platform. Rose water is blessed, and after the prayer they are seated. While the archdeacon is reading the words: “He riseth from supper,” the Patriarch arises from his chair and begins to take off his vestments, leaving only his epitrachelion and cuffs. Then, having girded himself with a white silk towel, he takes a bowl and pitcher from the table and begins to wash the feet of the priests. With each hieromonk he washes only one foot, which, after drying it with the towel, he kisses. The priest then kisses the hand of the Patriarch. When the Patriarch approaches the last of the hieromonks, who represents Simon Peter, a special impression is produced on all present, for, as it says in the Gospel, the Apostle Peter did not immediately consent for the Lord to wash his feet. After the washing of the feet, several fortunate pilgrims receive the water, and they guard it as something very holy. The ceremony ends with the words from the Gospel: When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the brook Cedran, where was a garden, into which He entered, and His disciples.

At the beginning of the fourth century, during the triumph of Christianity in the Roman Empire, Palestine experienced a blossoming of piety and the construction of many churches. At that time, pilgrims referred to the “graceful church at the place where Christ prayed about His cup (of suffering)”, and described the procession on Holy Thursday from the top of the Mount of Olives, where they had held the passion service, down to the Garden of Gethsemane. Here are the actual words of a pilgrim, Silvia-Eteria, who was in Jerusalem for Holy Week in the fourth century: “The procession, headed by the bishop, descended from the Basilica of the Ascension to Gethsemane, to the actual place of the prayer of our Lord, as it is written - And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed. Here stands a graceful church, and in it the Gospel is read up to the words: Watch so that you not fall into temptation. Then we go down to Gethsemane.” From this “graceful church” there remains only one column. Today, in the Garden of Gethsemane there stands a beautiful Russian church, built in the 19th century. In it, on Holy Thursday, the head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission reads the Twelve Passion Gospels. Those who were praying in the Russian church at the top of the Mount of Olives, then descend the mountain to Gethsemane to join the faithful there. From the Garden of Gethsemane they proceed through St. Stephen’s Gate to the site of the Fortress of Antonia, where Pilate condemned the Saviour, to pray at the Prison, where Christ awaited His trial, and then they walk the Way of the Cross, to the Judgement Gate, which is located in the building of the Russian Excavations. During all this time, they softly sing “When the glorious disciples...” at the Threshold (i.e., at what remains of the former gates through which criminals were led from the city to Golgotha, the place of punishment), the Gospel is read describing how Christ walked this path. The Head of the Mission then gives a sermon.

On Holy Friday, the Greek pilgrims process along this same path. Beginning at the Prison, they read the Royal Hours, and they complete the procession at Golgotha itself. On this sorrowful day for all Christians, only the very largest bell at the Tomb of the Lord tolls. Crowds of pilgrims sit in various parts of the church awaiting the evening service. In Russian churches vespers is served in the afternoon, when the Shroud of the Lord is brought out. After the service in the Russian churches, the service of the burial is begun in the Church of the Resurrection, served by Greek clergy. After the canon, the clergy go up to Golgotha. On the holy table, over the spot where the Cross of the Lord stood, lies a beautiful Russian shroud, covered in flowers. After the seventh (of the Twelve) Gospel readings by the senior hierarch, the other hierarchs take the shroud, as if carrying the Body of Christ from the Cross, and carry it to the Stone of Anointing, on which, according to Tradition, the Noble Joseph and Nicodemus anointed the Body of Christ before laying Him in the tomb. Laying that shroud on the Stone, they cense it and chant hymns. They read the eleventh of the Twelve Gospels and then an Arab priest delivers a sermon for the Arab pilgrims.

After the sermon by the Arab priest, the hierarchs again take the shroud, carry it three times around the Tomb of the Lord, and finally they bring it into the Tomb and lay it on the stone where the Body of Christ was placed. A sermon in Greek is said after the hymns are sung, then the shroud is taken to the Greek altar in the Church of the Resurrection, so that other faiths can hold services at the Tomb of the Lord. In the Church of the Resurrection, the service finishes with the appointed readings from the prophet Ezekiel, the epistle to the Corinthians and the Gospel from Matthew.

On the morning of Great and Holy Saturday, all the lamps are extinguished in the Tomb of the Lord and throughout the Church of the Resurrection. In the Russian churches the lights are extinguished as well, after Liturgy. As soon as the service is finished in the monastery chapel of Sts. Constantine and Helen, the doors of the Resurrection Church are opened. First soldiers enter there to keep order. When the soldiers are positioned, the crowds are allowed to enter. The pilgrims and faithful flow in an irrepressible stream into the church, and settle themselves throughout the vast building. The crowd grows and becomes denser, so that passing through it becomes not only difficult, but even dangerous. Every nook of the spacious church, from top to bottom, inside and out, is filled to capacity with pious pilgrims or curious onlookers, when another crowd enters from the Greek Patriarchate into the galleries and pavilions of both large cupolas, and fills the courtyard and the rooms of the Church of the Resurrection, the Monastery of Patriarch Abraham, the Church of St. James, and, in general, every possible place from which one could view the service.

Among the throngs in church, one can immediately distinguish the Orthodox Arabs by the verses they loudly chant in their language, accompanied by the clapping of hands. At around eleven in the morning, after the arrival of the army commander, the Tomb is inspected [to ensure that no matches or anything that can light a fire is inside of it]. After the inspection, the dragoman closes the doors of the Tomb and places a seal on them — in memory of the seal on the Lord’s Tomb mentioned in the Gospel: “So they went, and made the sepulcher secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.” At around noon, the patriarch comes. Clergy from the Armenians, the Copts, and the Syrians [that is non-Orthodox] approach the patriarch and get a blessing to participate in the service. This custom is based on a decision from the time of Sultan Omar Hatap, as a sign of the Orthodox precedence [and predominance] in the Church of the Resurrection. Then all of the Orthodox who want to take part in the procession get a blessing. At this time, a vessel used in the service is carried in a procession to the Tomb from where it is kept by the sacristan of the Church of the Resurrection. The dragoman unseals the doors of the Tomb and only the sacristan enters, carrying the [unlit] holy lamp, and places it on the Tomb. The doors to the Tomb are again sealed.

At about one in the afternoon, the procession begins from the altar of the catholikon to the Tomb, as the clergy sing: “Thy Resurrection, O Christ Saviour, angels sing in the heavens...” They walk three times around the Tomb. During the third time around they sing: “O joyous light...” After this, the patriarch removes his miter, panagia and cross, omophorion, saccos, and palitsa. The deacons wrap white cloths around the cuffs on his wrists. The dragoman unseals the doors. The patriarch takes two [unlit] torches and three bunches of candles from the deacons and enters the Tomb. He is followed by an Armenian clergyman, vested with only one clerical garment, holding two metal torches [also unlit]. The doors are closed behind them. The patriarch reads a lengthy prayer on his knees, after which he piously kisses the Holy Tomb, and receives the Holy Fire [which comes down from heaven]. Exiting the Tomb to the anteroom, called the Chapel of the Angel, he passes the Fire first to the Armenian clergyman, then at the same time he passes the Fire through the north window, to the Arab priest, who two days before represented the Apostle Judas (not Iscariot) at the ceremony of the washing of the feet, and then through the south window to an Armenian clergyman. The appearance of the Holy Fire is greeted by the tolling of the largest bells of the church. The sound of their ringing, along with the loud exclamations and cries, fills the church, ascending to the heavens. In one moment, the church, which was without one flicker of flame, is turned into a sea of fire. Then one Copt and one Syrian, from those who received a blessing from the patriarch, go into the Tomb and receive the Holy Fire from the patriarch.

After this, the patriarch exits the Tomb and walks through the church to the altar. Everyone standing along his path receives the Holy Fire from him and considers this to be a special joy. After receiving the Holy Fire, the patriarch withdraws to his chambers, according to custom. The service of the Holy Fire on Holy Saturday is concluded with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy in the Church of the Resurrection. From this minute, all the lamps that had been extinguished in Jerusalem and its environs are again lit, now with the Holy Fire. Those who were sent to Jerusalem from all around take the Holy Fire in lanterns and carry it home. Without a doubt, the service of the Holy Fire inspired St. John of Damascus in the Paschal troparion: “Now all things are filled with light: heaven and earth and the nether regions.”

All the churches in Jerusalem and its environs wait for the bells at the Tomb of the Lord to ring before beginning the midnight Paschal service. And when the Paschal Liturgy is finished, and the people leave the churches, again they hear the ringing of the bells from the Church of the Resurrection.

At noon on Pascha, with the festive ringing of the bells, the Patriarch [of Jerusalem] and all his clergy, in full vestments, process from the Patriarchate to the Church of the Resurrection. Along the way, the patriarch joyfully greets the pilgrims from many countries with the exclamation “Christ is Risen!” in various languages. In each of their languages, the pilgrims reply “Truly He is Risen!” This is followed by Great Vespers for Pascha, with the reading of the Gospel in twelve different languages.

All of Bright Week passes by as if one day. In the monasteries, the services are performed morning and evening, with a procession around the church after every Liturgy. And everyone goes from house to house in Jerusalem, joyously proclaiming the Paschal greeting: “Christ is Risen!”

Bulletin - 4/13/08

Evangelicals Turn Toward ... the Orthodox Church?

The Iconoclasts

by Jason Zengerle

Reprinted From The New Republic

Conclusion

When Wilbur Ellsworth ministered at First Baptist, a typical Sunday service — held inside the church's immense but unadorned white-walled, burgundy-carpeted sanctuary — went something like this: Wearing a suit and tie, Ellsworth would stand at a pulpit and preach. Aside from occasionally rising in prayer and joining the church choir and orchestra in some traditional Protestant hymns, the congregants would largely refrain from any activity during the one-hour-and-15-minute service — except for once a month, when they would receive communion.

The service Ellsworth now leads at Holy Transfiguration, by contrast, has an entirely different feel. Wearing his priestly vestments and standing inside the church's small sanctuary — which boasts yellow walls covered with hundreds of tiny iconic pictures of saints and Oriental rugs on the floor — Ellsworth conducts much of the service from behind the iconostasis (or icon wall) where he is out of view of the congregation. The congregants stand for most of the two-hour service, constantly prostrating and crossing themselves, and the only music is rhythmic Byzantine chanting. At the end of the service, they file up to the front of the sanctuary — as they do every Sunday — and take communion. It's easy to see how, for someone reared in an evangelical church, the Orthodox Church might seem like something not just from another culture, but another world.

And yet it is precisely that otherworldliness that is part of what is attracting a growing number of evangelicals to the Orthodox Church. Since the late nineteenth century, when fundamentalism emerged as a response to the increasing cosmopolitanism of mainline Protestant denominations, evangelicalism has been an anti-modern movement. But, at the same time, with its belief in the importance of saving lost souls, evangelicalism hasn't been able to completely divorce itself from modern culture — and, in the latter half of the twentieth century, it began to increasingly try to employ or co-opt aspects of the modern world in its efforts to lure "seekers" and others to the faith. As Ellsworth explains, one of the principal attractions of the Orthodox Church for him is its solidity — and lack of interest in integrating modern life. "There is, in the Orthodox Church, an enormous conservatism," he marvels. "There is not going to be a radical change in the worship life of the church next week."

This is an appealing idea, particularly to younger Orthodox converts who view evangelicalism as corrupted by the generation born right after World War II. "Baby boomers had an overweening confidence that our creativity and spontaneity was fascinating and rich," says Frederica Mathewes-Greene, a one-time charismatic Episcopalian who's now a prominent Orthodox speaker and author. "The following generation sees it as not all that rich. They find the decades of the rock band onstage performing songs kind of shallow. They're looking past their parents for something earlier."

They're also looking for something with more intellectual depth. The evangelical church has a long history of anti-intellectualism: As the early twentieth-century evangelist Billy Sunday proclaimed, "When the word of God says one thing and scholarship says another, scholarship can go to hell." Some evangelicals who became Orthodox simply could no longer tolerate evangelicalism's anti-intellectualism. As Mark Noll, a professor of history at Notre Dame and the author of The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, explains, "After the Second World War, after the boom in education, there were a lot of sectarian evangelicals who became educated and started reading widely and had experience in urban areas — all of which undermined the form of the Christianity they'd been raised with, although not necessarily their Christianity. It seems almost inevitable that, as some evangelicals become more interested in history, culture, Europe, and the broader world events of the twentieth century, that, within that group, there are going to be some who are attracted to Orthodoxy."

Gillquist and Ellsworth are among those who feel evangelicalism has mistakenly staked its foundation on the changing concept of personal Christian experience rather than on the firmer ground of theological doctrine. "Evangelical theology is rooted in only the last twenty-five percent of the history of the church, the post-Reformation period," Ellsworth says. "Orthodoxy goes back to the Church Fathers; it goes back to the roots and the first seventy-five percent of church history. There is a very real sense of continuity." Lacking this continuity, evangelicalism must continually adapt to modern life, a process that Orthodox converts like Gillquist say has inhibited the church's intellectual growth. "Worship has now been basically reduced to entertainment," he explains. "That carries people for two years, and then they start looking for something with more depth. Those are the people who we pick up: serious Christians who are hungry for more."

And, in some respects, hungry for less. Although the culture wars seem like a staple of evangelical life, the converts suggest that there is a growing fatigue with this worldly fight. One of the more striking things about the Orthodox Church is that it's not very political. That's not to say it isn't conservative. "As Orthodox, we don't believe that being gay is a legitimate alternative lifestyle, we believe it's an aberration. We also say abortion is murder," says Gillquist. But, unlike in many evangelical churches, these views — while strongly held — tend not to come up in the course of worship. As Daniel Larison, a conservative writer and Orthodox convert who attends a Russian Orthodox Church in Chicago, says, "As a general rule, the sermons are going to be related to the gospel and that's about it. Political themes and political ideas don't come into sermons directly. That's not why people are there. They want to keep that as far away as possible."

And, by keeping it far away, the Orthodox Church has been immune to the social and political conflicts that frequently flare up in the Anglican and Catholic Churches, where disaffected evangelicals once typically sought refuge. "In the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant Church, there's a lot of dialogue with the culture: For instance, what do we do with the whole creation versus evolution thing? Where does science play in?" says Andrew Henderson, an evangelical-turned-Anglican who recently converted to Orthodox Christianity and worships at Holy Transfiguration. "In the Orthodox Church, with that Eastern mindset that's just so ancient, those questions haven't really arisen. It just isn't a concern."

On the morning after the Vespers service, I went to Holy Transfiguration to attend Sunday Liturgy. The turnout was much better than the night before, with nearly 100 people crowded into the small church. When the service was over, they headed to a basement social hall for a meal. The Orthodox Church had recently ended a month-long fast — during which church members were prohibited from eating meat and dairy and subsisted on what's basically a vegan diet — and so the congregants eagerly gorged on meatballs and beef casserole. One of those enjoying the meal was Jordan DeRenzo.

A recent graduate of North Central College in nearby Naperville, DeRenzo was also a recent Orthodox convert. She had once belonged to First Baptist. When Ellsworth decided to convert to the Orthodox Church, she converted with him.

After the meal, as I sat with her and several other Holy Transfiguration parishioners in the now mostly empty church, DeRenzo, like a recent convert to any religion, spoke passionately about her new spiritual home. The things about it that had once seemed strange to her — such as the fasting and the icons — she now embraced. Fasting brought her body in line with her spirit; she was also hoping to attend icon school so she could be taught how to draw her own pictures of the Orthodox saints. "It's learning how to love something that is foreign," she said.

but it wasn't just the foreignness of the orthodox church; it was its bigness that appealed to derenzo, as well. indeed, as she continued to talk, it became clear that, as an evangelical, she had felt very small and alone. it was a surprising sentiment to hear from someone about the evangelical movement. after all, ever since the rise of the moral majority, american evangelicals have arguably been the most politically powerful religious group in the country. but perhaps the most telling revelation of the orthodox conversion trend is that this political power has not translated into a sense of spiritual power — or belonging. for these converts, it seems, the orthodox church has solved the unbearable lightness of being evangelical. "when i was in [an evangelical church], i was thinking, this is great, i love this,'" derenzo said. "but i thought, and i don't mean to be morbid, but eventually some day this pastor is going to die or i'm going to move away, so if this is the only place in the world where the truth is, that's tragic." derenzo paused and looked around the church at the icons and the candles. she went on, "coming to the orthodox church means that i am in communion with that church no matter where i am in the world, that i can go into that church wherever i am and have the same liturgy and celebrate the same way. i'll be in communion with other people. and that is so huge. that hugeness is so exciting."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

God didn’t create the hell for sinners, they did it themselves

The Orthodox Church’s representative to the European International Institutions Bishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria commented on the recent suggestion of Danish Lutheran theologians to consider the hell and the devil a metaphor and to accept only existence of the paradise.

- This theology should be considered in the general context of liberalized Christian dogmatic and moral teaching developed within many Protestant communities in several recent decades. Everything that makes Christianity “inconvenient”, “uncomfortable” is being omitted, “the dark Middle Ages” heritage is cleared up. Christianity in light version is under construction and the hell and devil don’t fit in.

A tragedy of Protestantism has originally been the following. Seeking to get rid of medieval stratification of Catholicism, Protestants didn’t properly study the heritage of the Eastern Fathers. And today when arguing with the Middle Age hell and devil, liberal Protestants don’t trouble themselves with reviewing the Holy Fathers and their conception of afterlife retaliation.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Christian tradition has never considered the hell as created by God to punish sinners. God didn’t create the hell, free will of people has created it. It exists not because God wants it, but because people keep it existing. They first create the hell on Earth and then carry it on to the afterworld.

-What do you mean by the hell on Earth?

- When a man using his power over others makes Earth the hell for them. Didn’t Hitler turn Earth to hell for millions of people tried and tortured in concentration camps, perished in gas cameras and battlefields? Didn’t Lenin and Stalin make hell for thousands and millions of people who died in camps or were shot on false denunciations or sentenced by Stalin’s “troika”? Don’t today’s terrorists, who kill peaceful citizens, take them hostage and cut off their heads, turn Earth into the hell?

And is it believable that malefactors and monsters who kill other people and revolt against God will share the paradise with righteous and saints? Is it believable that the paradise will welcome both John the Baptist and Herod, St. Benjamin of Petrograd and Lenin, thousands of the murdered New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia and their torturers? It removes division between the good and the evil. Then there’s no difference if you are a saint or a villain, if you do the good or the evil, if you save people from death or kill them.

-So sins will be inevitably recompensed?

-Any person bears moral responsibility for his actions. And he will answer for the sins of his earthly life in the eternity. St. Isaac the Syrian writes that sinners in the hell are not deprived of God’s love. On the contrary, love is given equally to everyone: to the righteous in the Heavenly Kingdom and to the sinners in Gehenna. But for the righteous it becomes the source of joy and bliss while for sinners it is the source of torture.

Thus, God didn’t create the hell for sinners, they did it themselves. God doesn’t send sinners to the hell, but people who oppose God’s will and revolt against God choose the hell themselves. And this choice is made in their earthly life rather than in some distant eschatological prospect. It is right here on Earth that infernal tortures and “the Kingdom of God come in power” begin.

 - However, even the Orthodox divine service says that the hell is “abolished” by Christ after His Resurrection from the dead?

 - The reality of the hell, its existence for sinners and even the possibility of its eternal existence don’t contradict the news of its abolition by Christ resurrected. The hell is really “abolished” in the resurrection of Christ, as it is not inevitable for people anymore and doesn’t have power over them. But those, who consciously oppose God’s will and commit crime and sin, restore destroyed and abolished hell as they don’t want to reconcile with God’s love.

I’d like to stress it again: God didn’t create the hell, people created it for themselves, God destroyed and abolished the hell, but people restore it again and again. The hell is re-created every time when the sin is consciously committed and isn’t repented.

Here is an account of our last week’s Bible Study class:

Our discussion for the evening was on the work of theosis in our life in Christ. Father gave us a reading from Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and an explanation of how theosis takes place. We understand from the Holy Fathers that there are three stages a person attains to in their work to become Christ-like. Purification is the first step; vision is the second and perfection is the third. Most human beings will spend their lives trying to attain purification, as the thoughts and actions of the world and its influence weigh heavily on us. Few righteous people such as monks and elders reach the state of vision and perfection.

When they do we see many cases of what we think of as supernatural abilities or miracles. Examples we are learning of recently are Saint Mary of Egypt, who through the grace of God walked across the surface of the Jordan, lived in the desert nearly 20 years on two and a half loaves of bread initially and then only herbs, etc., once the bread was gone. Other abilities attribute healing, clairvoyance and participation ion the mysteries of the Holy Trinity though inexpressibly, such as Saint Paul’s mystical ascent. Many of these traits are given to saints even after death, such as Saint John Maximovitch who has healed many through prayer and personal visits to his relics.

Working toward theosis is a constant battle against thoughts, passions and waging the fight against the adversary. Much of this battle is bringing the nous, or mind into alignment with the soul which yearns for Christ. Often times our will, thoughts and actions are in opposition to each other. In order to work at perfection we must want to be closer to Christ and form dispassion in ourselves towards the things of this world. It is truly amazing to contemplate the wonders we could achieve just in unity of mind if we are worked synergistically together towards theosis.

+++++++++++++++

Bulletin - 4/6/08

Evangelicals Turn Toward ... the Orthodox Church?

The Iconoclasts

by Jason Zengerle

Reprinted From The New Republic

The ministry is a calling, but it is also a career, and, in 1987, a Baptist minister named Wilbur Ellsworth was given the career opportunity of a lifetime. After nearly two decades of pastoring modest congregations in California and Ohio, Ellsworth, at the age of 43, was called to lead the First Baptist Church of Wheaton, Illinois — one of the most prominent evangelical churches in what was then the most prominent evangelical city in the world. Often called the "Evangelical Vatican," the leafy Chicago suburb is home to Wheaton College — the prestigious evangelical college whose most famous graduate is Billy Graham — and a host of influential evangelical figures, a number of whom worshipped at First Baptist. "I was now preaching to these people every Sunday," Ellsworth recalls. "It was all sort of heady and exciting."

From a professional standpoint, Ellsworth thrived. He oversaw the construction of a majestic new building for First Baptist with a 600-seat sanctuary and a 100-foot steeple that towered over Wheaton's Main Street. And, due to the prominent evangelicals he now ministered to, he became something of a prominent evangelical himself — routinely meeting with the many evangelical leaders who constantly came through Wheaton. "I was at the very center of the religious world that I'd been a part of for most of my life," he says. "It was quite a promotion from where I was before."

From a spiritual perspective, however, Ellsworth was suffering. Over the past 20 years, a growing number of evangelical churches have joined what is called the "church growth movement," which favors a more contemporary, market-driven style of worship — with rock 'n' roll "praise songs" supplanting traditional hymns and dramatic sketches replacing preachy sermons — in the hope of attracting new members and turning churches into megachurches. First Baptist of Wheaton was not immune to this trend: Ellsworth increasingly found himself fighting with congregants about the way worship was being done. "They wanted to replace our organ with a drum set and do similar things that boiled down not to doctrine, but to personal preference," he explains. "I said, That's not going to happen as long as I'm here.'" It didn't. In 2000, after 13 years as the pastor of First Baptist, Ellsworth was forced out.

For Ellsworth, his departure from First Baptist triggered both a professional and a spiritual crisis. But, before he could deal with the former, he felt he had to address the latter. He devoted himself to reading theology and church history. At first, he seemed headed in the direction of the Calvinist-influenced Reformed Baptist Church or the Anglican Church, which are where evangelicals in search of a more classical Christian style of worship often end up. But, as Ellsworth continued in his own personal search, his readings and discussions began taking him further and further past the Reformation and ever deeper into church history. And, gradually, much to his surprise, he found himself growing increasingly interested in a church he once knew virtually nothing about: the Orthodox Church. "I really thought he'd go to Canterbury," says Alan Jacobs, a Wheaton College English professor and Anglican who is friendly with Ellsworth. "But he took a sudden right turn and wound up in Constantinople."

Ellsworth began reading more and more about Orthodox Christianity — eventually spending close to $10,000 on Orthodox books. By 2005, he was regularly visiting an Antiochian Orthodox Church in Chicago. By late 2006, Ellsworth realized that he wanted to be Orthodox himself. On the first Sunday of the following February, an Orthodox priest in Chicago chrismated him into the Orthodox Church. A month later, at the age of 62, he was ordained as an Orthodox priest himself.

Ellsworth's story is hardly unique. Most of the approximately 150 members of the Orthodox parish he now leads are former evangelicals themselves. Even Ellsworth's transition from evangelical minister to Orthodox priest is not uncommon. Of the more than 250 parishes of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, some 60 percent are led by convert priests, most of whom are from evangelical backgrounds. And, according to Bradley Nassif, a professor at North Park University and the leading academic expert on Evangelical- Orthodox dialogue, the Antiochian Archdiocese has seen over 150 percent church growth in the last 20 years, approximately 75 percent of which is attributable to converts.

While it's unlikely that the Orthodox Church — which, according to the best estimate, has only 1.2 million American members — will ever pose any sort of existential threat to evangelical Christianity in the United States, it is significant nonetheless that a growing number of Southern Baptists and Presbyterians and Assemblies of God members have left the evangelical fold, turning to a religion that is not only not American, but not even Western. Their flight signals a growing dissatisfaction among some evangelicals with the state of their churches and their complicated relationship with the modern world.

One evening in June, I went to see Wilbur Ellsworth at his new professional and spiritual home — the Holy Transfiguration Antiochian Orthodox Church in Warrenville, Illinois. Although it is one town over from Wheaton and just a few miles from First Baptist, Holy Transfiguration is located a great psychic distance from the "Evangelical Vatican." The church itself is tucked away in a shabby residential neighborhood, set among working-class bungalows and across the street from a Veteran of Foreign Wars (VFW) post, and it is housed in a modest one-story building with peeling white paint. It was a Saturday evening when I first visited, and Ellsworth — or, as he's now called, Father Wilbur — was at the church to lead a vespers service.

Greeting me outside Holy Transfiguration, Ellsworth was gracious, but also a bit anxious. As 30 or so worshipers filed into the church, he cast occasional glances across the street, where a few presumably unchurched people were making a ruckus on the VFW baseball field as they drank beer and shagged fly balls. Standing in the diminishing evening light, he apologized for what he said was an unusually small turnout, which he attributed to the pleasant weather. "If they don't come," he said, "I'll remind them who made it so nice." He also apologized for the church's appearance, telling me that in a few weeks its exterior would be repainted. As we prepared to head inside, he introduced me to his wife, Jean, who, he explained, would be with me through the service in case I had any questions. It was the first time in all of my journalistic visits to churches — including the time I went to an all-night service at a charismatic church of African immigrants who spoke in tongues — that a minister felt compelled to provide me with a chaperone. More than anything, Ellsworth seemed worried that I'd find his church weird.

This is an understandable fear. For a long time, the Orthodox Church simply wasn't on the radar of most Americans — never mind evangelicals. Although Orthodox Christianity has been in North America since 1794, when Russian Orthodox missionaries crossed the Bering Strait to convert Aleuts in Alaska, Orthodox churches in the United States were almost entirely immigrant or ethnic — especially after the Russian Revolution, which spelled an end to the Russian Orthodox Church's attempts to do missionary work with Americans. "The whole history of Orthodoxy in North America from 1918 until relatively recently is a terrible story," says A. Gregg Roeber, a Penn State professor of early modern history and religious studies.

But that story took a dramatic turn 20 years ago, when a group of about 2,000 evangelicals converted en masse into the Antiochian Orthodox Church. The conversion had been nearly two decades in the making. In 1968, a Campus Crusade for Christ executive named Peter Gillquist became disenchanted with the group's parachurch identity, but he could not find an existing evangelical church that met his spiritual needs. Gillquist joined with about half a dozen other similarly disenchanted Campus Crusade for Christ staffers and embarked on what they called, somewhat cheekily, "the phantom search for the perfect church." As Gillquist recounts in his memoir, Becoming Orthodox, "Our basic question was, whatever happened to that Church we read about in the pages of the New Testament? Was it still around? If so, where? We wanted to be a part of it." Much like Wilbur Ellsworth would do years later, Gillquist and his fellow sojourners worked their way back through church history and doctrine before they finally came to 1054 and the East-West Schism and, thus, a fork in the road. One path took them to Rome and the West; the other to Constantinople and the East. Gillquist and the others thought the East was right to resist papal excesses; they also thought the East was right to insist on equality among the Holy Trinity, rather than relegating the Holy Spirit to a lesser place than God the Father and God the Son. They concluded, almost reluctantly, that they were Orthodox.

Unlike Ellsworth, though, Gillquist and his group had no clearly laid-out path to becoming Orthodox. For nearly ten years, as they formed their own organization called the Evangelical Orthodox Church and gained their own followers, they tried — and failed — to join the Orthodox Church. In 1985, about 20 of them traveled all the way to Istanbul to seek the acceptance of the Ecumenical Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church, only to be turned away moments before their scheduled meeting. Greek Orthodox officials were evidently worried that Gillquist and his group weren't sufficiently committed to promoting Hellenistic culture.

Finally, Metropolitan Philip Saliba, the archbishop of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, came to their rescue. Born and raised in Lebanon, Metropolitan Philip came to the United States in the 1950s and studied history at Wayne State University in Michigan. He stayed and became an Orthodox priest, initially leading a congregation of mostly Lebanese and Syrian immigrants in Cleveland. But he had a vision of growing the Orthodox Church in the United States. Importantly, his vision wasn't constrained by any sort of nationalist or ethnic pride; while the other two large Orthodox jurisdictions in the United States — the Russian and Greek Orthodox Churches — conducted their liturgies in Slavonic or Greek, the Lebanese, Syrian, and other Arab immigrants who attended Antiochian Orthodox Churches were more assimilationist and often conducted their liturgies in English.

When Metropolitan Philip learned of Gillquist and his group, he seized on the opportunity. In 1987, he converted most of the clergy and the members of the Evangelical Orthodox Church into the Antiochian Orthodox Church.

Since that conversion, the number of Antiochian Orthodox Church parishes in the United States has more than doubled, largely through the efforts of Gillquist, who serves as the Director of the Department of Missions and Evangelism for the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese. Although Gillquist is now 69 and a cancer survivor, he continues to travel around the United States, evangelizing on behalf of the Orthodox Church with a particular eye toward converting evangelicals. "Right now, the flood of evangelicals [interested in Orthodoxy] is just overwhelming," he says.

To Be Continued.

     ++++++++++++++++++

Bulletin - 3/30/08

The following articles was suggested to publication in our bulletin by George Feczko. The article appears with minor alterations. 

WHY TWO EASTERS?

Pascha this year for Orthodox Christians is to be celebrated on April 27th, five weeks later than the Western Christian Churches' Easter on March 23rd.

Naturally, the question asked by many people is "why are there two Easter celebrations?"

The date of Pascha was determined by the First Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church in 325 AD. held in the ancient city of Nice. It was the Council with 318 Bishops, representing all Christendom, which assembled to discuss some of the problems facing the early Christian Church.

The Council of Nice declared that the date of the Christian Pascha should be determined as follows:

1. The Feast of the Resurrection must be celebrated on a Sunday.

2. Pascha must be celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon of the vernal equinox. If the full moon occurs on a Sunday, Pascha is then the following Sunday.

3. The Resurrection must be always celebrated after the Jewish Passover. This is to insure the proper historical sequence of events as recorded in Holy Scripture, and to make a thorough distinction between the two Passovers - Hebrew and Christian.

These stipulations were corroborated by the Council of Antioch in 341 AD. and supported by such well known churchmen as St. Athanasios the Great and St. Epiphanios of Cyprus.

The Orthodox Church has rigidly adhered to these regulations since the year 325. It has only been since the 16th century that the Western Churches have celebrated Easter on days differing from the Orthodox observance.

In summarizing the difference in celebrating Easter between the Orthodox Church and the Western Churches, we reiterate these points:

1. The difference between the Orthodox Church and the Western Churches in calculating Easter is that the Orthodox Church continues to use the Julian Calendar in making its calculations and the Western Churches use the Gregorian Calendar (the calendar of Pope Gregory XIII). This calendar is 13 days ahead of the Julian Calendar.

2. The Jewish calculations in determining Passover have changed since 325. In 360 AD. the Jewish adopted a new calendar which affected the calculation of the date of Passover and the date of the Spring Equinox.

3. The stipulation of the First Ecumenical Council that Pascha cannot be celebrated before or concurrently with the Jewish Passover has been dropped by the Western Churches at the time of the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar in 1582.

So that is why the Western Christians celebrate Easter this year on March 23rd and the Orthodox Christians on April 27th.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: To keep the faith, we must know the faith.

Memoirs About Elder Nikolai Gurianov

Part  XX

Conclusion

Recollections of Priest Aleksii Nikolin

The first time I was at Father Nikolai’s it was three years ago, in the winter of 1999. I walked on the ice of the Pskov Lake from Big Tolba. When I saw Batushka I felt very good, everything was filled with light and tears appeared in my eyes. My questions for him dealt with the life of my parish. He used to say that everything should be done according to the will of God.

The second time I visited Father Nikolai it was two years ago, also in the winter. I was concerned with the problems my parish and parishioners had: how should I help them solve this or that problem? I asked him to pray for them. Father Nikolai’s answers were always straightforward, precise and short, very clear and easy to understand. My questions were specific, therefore his answers were very specific and laconic.

To my question about the influence of the evil spirits, Batushka answered with surprise and a smile: “What about God? Have you forgotten about God’s will?”

One time I had difficulties dealing with some people and I told it to Father Nikolai. “The enemy is tempting. Everything will be alright.” To the question of how we should live, Father Nikolai answered: “We must live as if we are going to die tomorrow”.

The elder saw the person’s inner world. I don’t remember any harsh word from him: everything was said very softly, very carefully. Love covers everything. All of his intonations and undertones were full of love. Many things that he had said were understood by us later, in due time. The elder’s eyes were kind and, at the same time, stern. People say that during the divine services one felt that the elder didn’t serve by himself, but that there was an invisible guidance, as if somebody was invisibly concelebrating with him.

August 24, Saturday, we as always were serving the All-night Vigil. During the reading of the Six Psalms somebody passed a note to me into the Altar: “Asking prayers for health of Father Nikolai”. During the Great Doxology in the Altar we received a note about his repose… I quickly asked somebody else to serve for me the next day and found a companion to go to the island and we set out. First the road was good but by Pskov we couldn’t see anything in front of us because of the fog. Early Sunday morning, on the motorboat, we could barely find the island in that fog. At that time Father Valerian, who had arrived a half hour before us, was already serving the first panihida. We arrived with Archimandrite Gurii from St. Petersburg. The second and third panihidas were served by us.

During the elder’s burial. From right to left: Bishop Nikon, Archimandrite Tihon (Shevkunov), Archbishop Evsevii and Archpriest Oleg Teor

Batushka’s body was taken to the temple. There again the panihidas began. The Gospel was read continuously. People began to arrive. There were not many communicants during the Sunday liturgy. After liturgy the panihidas resumed, and the priests read the Gospels three chapters each. When Vladyka Evsevii arrived it was suggested that we take the elder for burial to Pskov. Everyone unanimously opposed it. Besides, Father Nikolai wanted to be buried on the island.

Vladyka allowed any priest who desired to concelebrate during the divine services. In the evening there were readings from the Gospels — fathers were reading through the night. On Monday morning, there were forty priests serving, two Vladykas: Archbishop Evsevii of Pskov and Velikie Luki, and Bishop Nikon, a retired bishop of Ekaterinburg. By that time there were many people inside and around the temple. The coffin was brought out and placed in front of the entrance into the temple.

Father Nikolai’s face was very peaceful, as if he were sleeping, although stricter. His hands were soft and slightly cool. First, the clergy came up for the farewell. Then the monks arrived from the Pskov Monastery of the Caves. Archimandrite Tihon (Shevkunov) arrived by the end of the liturgy with the Sretenskii Monastery Choir, who sang during the funeral (they couldn’t come sooner because of the fog on the lake). When the funeral was over, the coffin was lifted up and taken in procession around the temple, while the canon “By the wave of the sea” was sung, and then the procession went to the cemetery. At every crossroads the coffin was elevated three times. Panihida was chanted during the procession and it ended when we arrived at the cemetery. Once there, the coffin was not closed right away, for the entire time motorboats were arriving and people were coming in an endless stream — the hierarchs decided to wait for everyone who arrived that day so that all could bid farewell. For the elder, a special crypt was made in the ground, lined with brick, and it was there that Batushka’s coffin was sealed.

Recollections of Ludmila Alekseevna Shatrova

Batushka entered my life unexpectedly. My mother died and I had to decide how to live on. When I came to Father Nikolai for confession in his little house, I couldn’t say anything — I just fell on my knees and cried. He consoled me: “All of this will pass, don’t cry, everything will pass”. When I told him about my mother’s death, he asked me with pain in his heart: “What was her name? What is her holy name?” “Valentina” I told him. Then Batushka got up and started praying for my mother. I felt better and calmed down. He gave me a warm hug and gently disclosed to me the direction of my future life.

We brought some food and good fish for Father Nikolai, but he told his cell-attendant: “I don’t need anything. They have come so you cut up everything for them. Everything is for them, everything; I do not need anything”. So he didn’t eat anything, he just nibbled at his plate. At the table, Father Nikolai unexpectedly asked me: “Have you ever stolen anything?” I was startled, my mind went blank: “Batushka, I don’t remember”. On the way back home, I recalled that when I was four I stole something while we children were playing.

Father Nikolai read to us his poems and told us different things. Suddenly he turned to me and said: “Stop reading that nonsense”. I have to confess that, as an escape from despondency, I from time to time used to read novels.

We wanted to sing something for him and the three of us sang quietly “Apostles from the ends...” Father Nikolai was touched and promised to pray for us. He was truly an elder from the midst of the common people. He fortified and consoled me with his love. “Everything is good with you,” he said at the parting.

Recollections of Igumen Roman

Once a pilgrim admitted to Batushka that she smoked. Father Nikolai pointed to the icon of the Dreadful Judgment and said: “Well, if you don’t quit smoking, then you, my dear, will never get to see the Kingdom of Heaven; and when you die you will end up right here — in the eternal suffering!” The shocked woman quit smoking that very day.

Recollections of Priest-monk Nestor (Kumysh)

Nobody truly knows what podvigs (spiritual feats) Father Nikolai undertook on the island. He kept them secret from everyone and would not allow anyone into an intimate proximity of himself. He would always take care of his own needs himself, with the exception of the last ten years when he physically couldn’t do it. Towards the end of his life it was very difficult for him to endure his infirmities. Seeing how hard it was for the elder not only to talk, but simply to sit up, how he strained his every nerve, I once told him compassionately: “Batushka, you should lie down”. Without lifting his lowered head Father Nikolai answered: “Only lazy-bones lie down”. Another time, to the similarly sympathetic suggestion to rest he remarked: “To rest is a sin”.

The elder was always filled with grateful joy towards the Lord, therefore, even in his infirmity he could say a kind joke and be merry. To a journalist’s question whether he felt the weight of his years, he smiled: “I am already ninety. I’m going to be ninety-one. No… But I still want to be a little bit older… An old man… Yes, O Lord, help me”.   

The End

+++++++++++++++++++++

Bulletin - 3/23/08

On Sunday of Triumph of Orthodoxy, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus, the Ruling Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, fell asleep in the Lord. He was a son of the Church and a true monk who accomplished what his predecessors could only dream of. The Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, which he shepherded last few years, has been seen for many in the US as a bulwark of traditional Orthodoxy among the sea of secularized Christianity.

Protopriest Serafim Gan: "He Was a Father to Us All"

The Personal Secretary of His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus, Protopriest Serafim Gan, recounts the final days of Vladyka's life

"We lost a remarkable person. This was a living saint with whom we could spend time with. On the other hand, we gained an intercessor in the other world," said Protopriest Serafim Gan, the Personal Secretary of the late Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus of Eastern America and New York, who died in Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY, at the age of 80.

"We received news of his sudden death with sorrow, we are all in shock," admitted the priest. According to him, Vladyka caught a cold, felt weak during his last divine service, and began to cough; yet no one expected his death. "This man was a true man of prayer, and he lived the life of the Church. He came to church with all the brethren [of the Holy Trinity Monastery, at Jordanville, New York], at 4:30 A.M., he would light candles… He inspired us not only by word but by example, with humility and love," remembered the First Hierarch's Secretary, who spent a great deal of time with him, especially in the last few years.

"Metropolitan Laurus spent the first week of Great Lent in prayer and divine services, reading edifying writings of the Holy Fathers and Teachers of the Church to the brethren and pilgrims. Last Friday, his last, he read the teachings of St Ephraim of Syria on love.

He was most impressed by the faith and modesty of Metropolitan Laurus. "He fully entrusted himself to God and deferred to His will. Everything, good and bad, he accepted as a gift from God and as directions from God. Vladyka was very strict with himself, but understanding with others, with a mere glance he would punish and humble us," added Fr Serafim.

He stressed that the late hierarch ordained a great many priests who now serve in the US, Europe and Australia. "Vladyka knew each of us very well — we all studied here at the Seminary, within the walls of this monastery, he knew whom to assign where… He was a father to us all," said the priest. In his words, Metropolitan Laurus was also "an exceptionally humble person, a monk through and through," and thanks to this carried enormous authority, and was revered and loved throughout the Russian emigration. "He was able to overcome divisions and conflict with love," he added.

"It is, of course, too early" to speak of canonizing Metropolitan Laurus. "But when we entered the church yesterday, I had the sense that we were not venerating simply a dead man, but the relics of a righteous man, who offered the example of love and humbleness," said Fr Serafim.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia died very peacefully, quietly, in his sleep, on the morning of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. One of the monks, standing beside the bier of Metropolitan Laurus, said Fr Serafim, spoke the following words: ""Before us lies the Triumph of Orthodoxy." "And this is true," added Fr Serafim.

Reprinted from the ROCOR Website

++++++++++++++++++++++

Bulletin - 3/16/08

At our Bible Study classes we were discussing the Symbol of Faith, or Creed. The emphasis was made on the article of the Creed where we affirm our belief in the Church. Below we offer one of the books we cited from during those discussions.

C R E D O

From The Way: What Every Protestant Should Know About the Orthodox Church, by Clark Carlton

Conclusion

“I Am With You Always”

When the Scribes and Pharisees brought the woman caught in adultery to Christ, St. John records that Jesus stooped over and with his finger wrote on the ground (John 8:6). As far as we know, this is the only thing Jesus ever wrote. He did not write a book. He did not leave behind an academy as did Plato. The only thing I He left behind was the Church.

Before His Ascension, Our Lord promised His abiding presence in the Church: Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world (Matt. 28:20). He promised to send the Holy Spirit upon His Disciples: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (John 14:26).

Notice that our Lord did not say, "I will send you a book, which will tell you everything you need to know." Rather, He promised the Spirit, even the Spirit of truth, Who guides the Church into all truth (John 16:13).

When God created the world, He did so by His Word and His Spirit: By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the Spirit of His mouth (Psa. 32:6). At the Annunciation to the Holy Virgin, the Spirit came upon her and she conceived the Eternal Word of the Father in the flesh (Luke 1:35). At Christ's Baptism in the Jordan River, when He was manifested to the world as the Messiah, the Holy Spirit alighted upon Him in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy: The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me (Isaiah 61:1; cf. also Luke 3:21-22, 4:17ff.). Likewise, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Disciples on the Day of Pentecost, He anointed them to be the Church, the very Body of Christ (cf. Acts 2).

None of this is meant to disparage the Bible. Indeed, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God (2 Tim. 3:16). The point is, however, that the Church is the Body of Christ, not the Bible. The Divine Scriptures were written within the Church, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that through their testimony men might come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4) and be united with Christ in the Church. The Church, not the Bible, is the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15). The Church, not the Bible, is the fulness of Him that filleth all in all (Eph. 1:23).

There is a very real sense in which Protestantism has replaced the Church with the Bible, substituting the living Body of Christ with a text, albeit a divinely inspired text. The difference between Protestant confessions of faith and the ancient creeds of the Church illustrates the fact that they are two fundamentally different belief systems. They manifest two very different approaches to the nature of the Christian faith.

Christology, Ecclesiology, and Heresy

Even if one is willing to grant that the Divine Scriptures are not Christ and should not be the object of belief, it is another matter altogether to assert that the Church is an object of faith and a subject of credal affirmation. Yet, this is precisely what Orthodox Christians profess when they recite the Nicene Creed.

It is common place for modern commentators to play down this credal affirmation. Belief in the Church, so it is often argued, is not to be taken literally. One is to believe only in God, and the Church — whatever excellent things may be said about Her — cannot be the object of such faith.

Ironically, one of the most forceful presentations of this position comes, not from a Protestant theologian, but from the German Catholic Hans Küng. In his book, The Church, Küng argues that belief in the Church as an object of faith is a distortion of the image of the Church. Küng writes: “To say that we do not believe in the Church means that the Church is not God. The Church as a fellowship of believers is, in spite of everything positive that can be said about it, neither God nor a god-like being. Of course, the believer is convinced that God works in the Church and in the work of the Church. But God's work and the Church's are neither identical nor overlapping, there is indeed a functional distinction between them.”

For Küng, the credal affirmation regarding the Church has to do with the Spirit, Who works in the Church, not with the Church Herself as an institution. Although Küng's analysis seems convincing, it is born of a mindset that is not only foreign to that of the Fathers of the Church, but wholly antithetical to the faith of the early Church. In short, it manifests an ecclesiology that is blatantly heretical.

Arius taught that the Logos was a created being because his rationalistic concept of God had no room for a God Who could become man. Thus, the Word, Who became flesh, was a creature to begin with. In the same way, Nestorius posited two subjects in Christ: the divine Logos and the Assumed Man. It was the Assumed Man Jesus Who was born of the Virgin and Who suffered and died on the Cross. Nestorius, working with the same rationalistic concept of God as Arius, could not conceive of God being born in a manger or dying on the Cross. In other words, he could not conceive of God as a genuinely personal being Who could truly take humanity upon Himself and make the life of man His own.

To say that we do not believe in the Church because the Church is not God sounds perfectly reasonable. It sounds as though we are safeguarding ourselves from any pagan confusion between Creator and creature. Yet, this obsession with protecting the "honor" of God was precisely the motivation behind both the Arian and Nestorian heresies. Indeed, this is nothing else than the application of Nestorian theology to the doctrine of the Church.

The humanity of Christ had no existence of its own apart its union with Him. There was no Man Jesus prior to the Incarnation. The Eternal Son and Word of God the Father is the Man Jesus, and the Man Jesus is none other than the Logos of God. Thus, the Church decreed at the Council of Ephesus (A.D. 431) that one must confess the Virgin Mary to be the Mother of God, for the One Who was born of her was God Himself, not simply a man joined to God. Likewise, the Church confesses that it was God Himself Who suffered and died on the Cross in the flesh.

According to St. Paul, the Church is nothing less than the Body of Christ, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all (Eph. 1:23). He goes on to say, For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones (Eph 5:30). Likewise, Christ Himself said, He that eateth My flesh, and Drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him (John 6:56).

Nestorius could not conceive of a genuine union of God and man, so he denied that the Son of God could be born of a woman. He eventually agreed to accept the term Theotokos (God-bearer), but only if understood metaphorically, not literally. Similarly, those who deny that the Church is a proper object of faith are forced by the logic of their theology to interpret St. Paul's words about the Church metaphorically.

If in Christ there is a true and indissoluble union of God and man, then His body must be worthy of the one and undivided glory due to the Son and Word of God. Therefore, if one denies that the Church is a proper object of belief — because “the Church is not God” — then it must be the case that the Church is not the Body of Christ in any real sense of the term.

For the Church of the first two centuries, there was an unbreakable link between the doctrine of the Incarnation and the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. To deny one was to deny the other. This fact has tremendous ecclesiological implications, for the Eucharist is that which most clearly and profoundly manifests the nature of the Church. Thus, the Incarnation, the Eucharist, and the doctrine of the Church are all bound together — or, more precisely, they are three sides of one and the same doctrine: the true union of God and man in Christ.

For the Orthodox Church, therefore, Christology and ecclesiology are inseparable. Christ implies the Church, for the Incarnate Lord cannot be without His Body. This explains why Küng's attempt to shift the emphasis in the Creed from the Church to the Spirit working in the Church, is absolutely unacceptable.

At what time did the Spirit ever act “on His own”? At the Annunciation to the Virgin, the Spirit came upon her and she conceived the Son of God in the flesh. At the Baptism of the Lord, the Spirit alighted upon Him and anointed Him to be the Christ. At Pentecost, the Spirit descended upon the Apostles and made them to be not merely disciples, but the Church, the very Body of Christ. At the Holy Eucharist, the Spirit consecrates the bread and wine to be the Body and Blood of the Lord, through which we have true communion with Christ (cf.1 Cor. 10:16).

To say that we believe not in the Church, but in the Spirit, Who works in the Church is the same as saying that we believe not in the historical Jesus, but in the Spirit, Who anointed Him. Indeed, the parallel with the Nestorian controversy is striking: the ninth of St. Cyril of Alexandria's famous twelve anathemas was directed against anyone who says “that the One Lord Jesus Christ was glorified by the Spirit, as if He exercised a power alien to Himself which came to Him through the Spirit…”

***

For the Orthodox, therefore, as for the early Christians, the Church is an object of faith because Her life is Christ’s life. For Evangelicals, however, this sounds strange, even heretical. What Evangelicals must understand, however, is that it is Protestantism that is the innovation. Protestantism is a rival tradition to that of the early Church. Indeed, it manifests a rival understanding of the very nature of Christianity.

Memoirs About Elder Nikolai Gurianov

Part  XIX

Recollections of Archpriest Valerian Krechetov

Continued

Batushka would almost never give his blessing for anyone to embark on severe podvigs. When Metropolitan Nestor of Kamchatka placed a penance upon anyone, he would himself also do it. For example, if he told ten men to make 300 prostrations each, then himself would make 3,000 prostrations. Holy Father would give a penance, but, knowing weakness of men, in case the penitents wouldn’t follow through, they would do the penance for them.

Batushka would often repeat: “Everything is good, yes, everything is good. We are so fortunate to be in the Church, to receive the Holy Communion…” Times and years that the Lord gave us to live are not ours. The late Father Tihon (Agrikov) used to say that we live in the added time. Excessive concern with the issue of the Second Coming, as everything excessive, diverts us from the present, makes us forget the things at hand, makes us passive. The Second Coming is still coming, whereas you are dying now. People would ask the elder about